


Just Us

by Frangipanidownunder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 08:26:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14891039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frangipanidownunder/pseuds/Frangipanidownunder
Summary: A first date fic.





	Just Us

There was a pile of clothes on her bed. Too formal, too black, too casual, too party, too black, too suggestive, too prissy, too black. In the end she chose jeans and a woollen tee. Both black. She checked her hair – shiny. She checked her make-up – subtle. She checked her perfume – sensuous. She checked her shoes – high. She checked her purse – money, keys, condoms.

Mulder got out of the cab and opened the door for her. “Your hair looks so bright,” he said and stood there, on the sidewalk, hands dangling by his side. “And your lipstick really makes your lips look…” He stopped and shoved his hands in his pockets, turning towards the entrance. “Shall we?”

She rolled her lips together and looked round to the wing mirror of the cab, trying to subtly bend and check out her mouth. She saw Mulder out of the corner of her eye, waiting. She stood up and smoothed her top, offering a smile. She stepped forward and her heel caught in a gap in the paver and she stumbled headlong towards him. His reactions weren’t quite quick enough and he copped the force her head in his solar plexus and they tumbled together to the ground. Silent embarrassment crept from her guts and emanated in waves from her face. Mulder groaned, then let out a hack of laughter. He pushed them both up, helping her to find her feet.

“New shoes?” he asked. She pinned her eyes to the ground, not capable of speech yet. “And new perfume? Isn’t that Baby Doll?”

The restaurant was new. A Mongolian barbecue affair called Flash Hot which Mulder told her sounded like a woman going through menopause.

“You know how that is, Scully,” he added and swigged his cold beer alarmingly quickly.

She sipped hers, looking at the menu. “I’m not going through menopause, Mulder.”

His mouth popped open. “I didn’t mean that, I just meant that you being a woman and… are you ready to go the grill?”

He got a combination of meats and noodles and the only vegetables he asked for were the onions. He selected the Burn Your Village sauce and grinned. “The hotter the better, right Scully?”

Her plate was piled with vegetables and she chose the chicken and mild chilli sauce.

“Chicken,” he said, leaning against the brick work.

“It’s leaner and full of protein.”

“No, I meant you’re a chicken. Mild, Scully? Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“My purse was too small to pack it.” She opened the bag and showed him. He peered in just as a waft of steam drifted between them and she waved her hand to clear it. His lips pressed together and he lifted his eyes to hers. She frowned. He grinned. She looked down and saw the condom shining out at her.

“Ready!” the chef yelled and pushed Mulder’s plate between them.

Mulder’s face started to pinken. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, he ordered another beer and swigged it.

“Are you okay?” she said as he coughed a little.

“Fine, how’s your mild, lean protein, Scully?” He pulled at his shirt collar.

“Mild and lean,” she replied. “And is yours hotter and better?”

He put a full forkful of meat into his mouth and chewed. The sheen on his face caught under the lights, highlighting the contours of his jaw. It struck her how odd his features were but put together on his face he became an outrageously good-looking man. Big nose, small chin, full lips. He’d been her partner for so long that she’d grown used to them but her mind had flipped into date mode and she looked at him with fresh eyes. And tried not to laugh at his growing discomfort. He took another long swallow of beer.

“You’re making me thirsty, Mulder.” 

“That’s good, isn’t it? You’ve come prepared.” He shoved another pile of meat into his mouth and when he’d finished he dropped his fork. He took in a long, harsh drag of air and then coughed. Sweat trickled down his face. She grabbed a serviette and dabbed at his brow, his cheeks. He reached for her hand but knocked his beer over in spectacular fashion so that it splashed all down the front of her sweater. She pulled back and looked down, top clinging to her. “And now a Miss Wet Tee-Shirt entry. This is the best date I’ve ever been on, Scully.”

His apartment was comfortable in its green-glow, dark corners, Art Deco prints, scrappy desk and sad little kitchen way. His black couch was like an old friend. His coffee table made a good foot rest. His coffee was hot. His old Knicks tee shirt draped around her and smelled of him.

He handed her a gift and she opened it cautiously. “I didn’t realise we were doing this,” she said, holding up the box. It was perfume. Baby Doll. “That’s how you knew.”

“I tested all of them. That one was perfect for you. And my gift was you saying yes to this date, Scully. It means a lot.”

“I’m sorry it wasn’t the best night, Mulder,” she said eventually.

“Tripping over, too much hot sauce, spilling beer. All the hallmarks of a promising start to a relationship.” His fingers tapped on her arm.

“Is that what this is?”

“What would you call it?”

She covered his hand with hers and his movements switched from drumming to stroking. “I would call it…just us.” He leaned in to kiss her and she let him, savouring his full lips, the pressure of his nose against her cheek and his sharp jawline. Their features fitted together and she pulled back. “Just us.”


End file.
